Weird Animal Abundance in Missouri

Mother Nature has been oddly generous to Missouri outdoorsmen this year, and here's one more example. 

First we had that huge bumpercrop of paddlefish. Then our state's fishermen started breaking way more records than usual.

Now the Missouri Department of Conservation is telling local duck hunters that there's "much to rejoice about" in a recent federal report on the North American duck population: apparently, our continent's duck population is up a quarter over the 50-year average, and 13 percent higher than last year.


What really matters to duck hunters in the Show-Me State is the quality of nesting conditions up in Canada (i.e., southern Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba), plus the north-central states of the Dakotas and Montana.

If conditions are good up there, more ducks will be flying over Missouri during duck season in November/December. And conditions up there have been pretty good.

That's only half the story, though: a specific amount of rain must fall in Missouri between now and roughly Halloween so that migrating ducks see enough standing water to want to rest here on their way south. Also, cold weather up in Canada has to push the ducks down here at just the right time. Who knows if any of this will happen. 

But the first requirement of a great duck season - strong nesting conditions up North - has been fulfilled.

We know you'll wanna see how this plays out. Stay tuned.